Eight students from award winning Archbishop Edward A. McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches have earned the title of 2017 National Merit Semifinalists. Across the nation just 16,000 students were awarded the honor, from the field of 1.6 million juniors representing more than 22,000 high schools who took the 2015 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying test (PSAT/NMSQT). The nationwide pool of Semifinalists represents less than one percent of United States high school seniors. Seniors reaching this high academic achievement have an opportunity to compete for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth approximately $33 million dollars. Three of the eight students from McCarthy also received National Hispanic Recognition*.
The Semifinalists in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship program from Archbishop McCarthy High School are:
1. Savannah L. Bergeron of Pembroke Pines
2. Benjamin P. Brock of Pembroke Pines
3. Franchesca A. Linares* of Davie
4. Gabriel Peiretti* of Weston
5. Anthony J. Wells of Plantation
6. Allison N. Wilbur of Davie
7. Rachel Wisolmerski of Pembroke Pines
8. Adrianna M. Zambrano* of Miami Lakes
The McCarthy semifinalists were summoned to the College Guidance Office for a meeting, and upon their arrival were surprised to be greeted with breakfast, their parents and Principal Richard P. Jean, and the Archbishop Guidance and Administrative Team. “We are very proud of these students. To have been named a National Semifinalist means that they missed three questions or less on the qualifying test, which is very impressive,” said Principal Jean.
The Semifinalists will not be resting on their laurels. The students must now submit a scholarship application where they will provide detailed information about their academic record, high school participation and community involvement, evidence of leadership abilities, employment, honors and awards received. In addition to having an outstanding four-year academic record, the students must be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SAT scores that confirm the earlier performance on the qualifying test. Once this rigorous process is complete, the students who become Finalists will compete for three different National Merit Scholarships offered in the Spring of 2017. The winners will be announced over a four-month period beginning in April.
